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Century in Vijay Hazare Trophy! Sanju Samson stands tall amidst India's ODI squad announcement buzz

Soumyajit Dutta

Sanju Samson slams impressive VHT hundred days before IND vs NZ ODI call [Source: @AvaneethR/X]Sanju Samson slams impressive VHT hundred days before IND vs NZ ODI call [Source: @AvaneethR/X]

India wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson is pushing a strong case for selection in the India vs New Zealand ODI series with his impressive form in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy. Representing Kerala, Samson struck a classic century that showcased grit and resilience.

Opening the innings with Rohan Kunnummal against Jharkhand in a chase of 312, Sanju Samson laid a strong foundation with a composed knock at a strike rate of 106.32.

Sanju Samson dominates with a key hundred against Jharkhand

On January 3, 2026, at the Railway Cricket Ground, Jharkhand batted first in the Vijay Hazare Trophy Elite clash against Kerala and posted a competitive 311 in their first innings, powered by Kumar Kushagra’s commanding 143-run knock.

In reply, Sanju Samson scored a fluent 101 off 95 balls, hitting nine boundaries and three sixes. He stitched together a massive 212-run opening stand off 152 deliveries with skipper Rohan Kunnummal.

After Rohan was dismissed in the 26th over, Samson added another 36 runs with Baba Aparajith before being dismissed by Shubham Singh in the 34th over.

Why Sanju Samson can be a strong contender for NZ ODIs?

In November, Sanju Samson was named in India’s T20 World Cup 2026 squad as the first-choice wicketkeeper-batter. Following his latest knock in the 50-over domestic tournament, he has once again strengthened his case for a return to the ODI setup.

For the unaware, Samson last played an ODI for India in 2023 against South Africa. In the format, he has featured in 16 matches, scoring 510 runs at an impressive average of 56.66, including one century and three half-centuries.

While Ishan Kishan remains the hot choice for selectors in the NZ ODIs, Sanju Samson also warranted his place with a deserving knock in VHT 2025-26.

With both Kishan and Samson playing ODIs last in 2023, the selection debate warms up further as both these players are currently at the top of their form.

Whether he makes the ODI squad or not remains to be seen, with the BCCI set to announce the India squad for the New Zealand ODIs by January 3.